Method of and machine for making bags



Aug. 22, 1939. F. RICKS 2,170,094

METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR MAKING BAGS Filed Jan. 27, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l j I J I la fiveni'or Aug. 22, 1939. F. RICKS 2,170,094

METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR MAKING BAGS Filed Jan. 27, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 22, 1939 UNITED STATES METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR MAKING BAGS Fred Ricks, Leicester, England, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Paterson, N. J a corporation of NewJersey Application January 27,

1937,, Serial No. 122,513

In Great Britain March 21, 1936 12 Claims.

This invention is concerned with improvements in or relating to the attachment of beadingor like strips to articles consisting of sheets of material arranged at an angle with relation to each other and secured together attheir edges to form a corner, and is particularly, but by no means exclusively, concerned with the attachment of beading or like strips to suitcases, hat bags or the like during the manufacture thereof.

During the manufacture of suitcases'or the like, a beading or fillet strip has heretofore sometimes been attached between the parts of the work where they are sewn together in such a manner that the bead of the strip projects outwardly beyond the junction of the parts and lies on the outside of the case or the like. It thus hides the line formed where the parts abut and provides an ornamental bead extending around the work, the beading strip being usually formed of material having a color different from that of the case. Such a heading strip is usually formed by folding a strip of thin material over a cord, which may be of twisted paper, and cementing the adjacent faces of the material together so that the cord lies along and within the folded edge of the strip to form a bead on the strip and the cemented-together portions of the strip provide a flange for attaching the beading strip to the case.

The beading strip has heretofore been attached to the bottom of a case or bag before the bottom and sides of the article are joined together, by sewing the flange of .the beading strip to the projecting margin of. a thin covering layer cemented to the bottom of the case. After this sewing operation the covering layer is bent around the edge of the bottom and cemented to the other face thereof adjacent the edge, the head portion lying just outside the edge of the bottom. 'The sides or ends and bottom of the case are then joined together to form the completed article by sewing them together in a curved hook needle lockstitch sewing machine, especially designed for the purpose, examples of such machines being disclosed in United States Patent No. 1,695,718 to Fred Ricks and Robert Gow. Reid, dated December 18, 1928, United States Patent No. 1,894,399 to George Hazelton dated January 17, 1933, United States Patent No, 2,029,099 to Joseph Gouldbourn, dated January 28, 1936, and United States application Serial No. 749,594 of Joseph Gouldbourn and Thomas Aubrey Kestelhfiled October 23, 1934, corresponding to British Letters Patent No. 430,984.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a method and means adapted for use in a sewing machine of the type above referred to whereby a heading strip and the parts of a suitcase or like article may be sewn together at a single sewing operation by a single seam.

With thisand other objectsin view, there is provided in the various embodiments of the invention hereinafter described, guiding means adapted for use in sewing machines of the type .above referred to for guiding a beading strip to the sewing point along with and between adjacent edge portions of the work, whereby the flange of the beading strip is secured between the edges of the work by the same operation that secures the portions of the work together.

The several features of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of one of said illustrative embodiments; Figures 2 and 3 are respectively sectional views along the lines 2-2 and 3--3 of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a sectional view of a second illustrative embodiment of the invention; Figure 5 is a front elevation of a third illustrative embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 is a partial sectional elevation of the same on an enlarged scale, taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 5; and Figure '7 is a plan view of the embodiment illustrated in Figures 5 and 6.

In the illustrative embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 3 an external Work support I, similar to the work support referred to as 49 in Serial No. 749,594 has two work-supporting faces 2 and 4 arranged at right angles to each other for supporting, in conjunction with a work-entering horn such as that referred to as 53 in the prior specification last mentioned, two pieces of a case or bag (e. g., a bottom and an end of a case) which are to be sewn together at right angles to each other. As will be understood from a consideration of Serial No. 749,594 the parts of the work to be sewn together are fed along the work support in a direction extending from right to left thereof to cause the stitching to proceed along the work and the machine is provided with a curved needle indicated at 6 and a curved awl (not shown) which rock in a vertical plane for the formation of each stitch, the needle and awl passing through openings 8 and ID in the work supporting faces 2 and 4 to penetrate the work. Some half an inch to the right of the right hand edges of the openings 8 and H), the work support is provided with a strip guide 3 for a strip of beading [8 (see Fig, 2) of the kind re ferred to, this guide being arranged to guide the strip to the sewing point of the machine between the two parts of the work being sewn together. The strip guide 3 is a comparatively small metal block arranged to project between the two parts of the work and having passing through it a strip guiding passageS. The strip guiding passage 5 in the strip guide has substantially the shape of a keyhole slot, i. e., the passage has at one end of it a rounded part 1 to guide the beaded edge of the strip and from this circular portion there extends a comparatively narrow part 9 which guides the remainder of the strip.

The slot lies normally substantially parallel to the lower work-supporting face 4 of the work support, which face is normally inclined downwardly and forwardly in the machine, and the end of the block which has in it the'rounded part I is received, beyond the part I of the slot, within an opening I3 in the wall of the work support which provides the work-supporting face 2, this wall normally extending upwardly and forwardly in the machine. The strip guide 3 is pivoted on a pin ll extending parallel to the line of work feed and secured in the said wall so that, for a purpose hereinafter described, the strip guide may be swung upwardly about the pin I! from its normal position in which it lies substantially parallel to the lower face 4 of the work support and slightly above the latter. The wall of the work support providing the face 2 has formed in it beneath the-opening 8 a groove I!) which is parallel to the" lower work supporting face 4 and is positioned in the wall 2 a little above the face 4. The groove l9 and the portion 1 of the slot in the strip guide are substantially coaxial and the groove l9 receives the beaded edge of the strip so that the two parts of the case or bag closely engage the strip and so that the beaded edge of the strip stands out from the corner formed between the parts as indicated in Figure 2. As also indicated in that figure, the presence of the beaded portion of the strip in the groove l9 will, unless the groove is sufliciently deep, prevent close contact between the two parts of the case before they are sewn together, but the parts will be drawn close together and caused to bind tightly against the beaded edge by the tension exerted on the needle and shuttle threads dur-- ing the formation and setting of the stitches. The flange portion of the strip is guided to lie,

. while parts are being sewn together, flat on the upper face of the case or bag part which is pressed being sewn together, the needle 6, which follows a curved path indicated at X in Figure 2, strikes flrst through the part of the work supported by the face 2, then through the flange portion of the strip and finally through the other part of the work thus sewing the strip and the two parts together at a single operation. To enable the strip guide 3. easily to pass between the two parts of the case or bag which are normally urged towards each'other as they are fed along the work support, the face 4 -of the latter has its right hand portion 2| inclined downwardly relatively to the plane of the face 4 so that the portion of the case or bag supported by the face 2| may be bent slightly downwardly away from the edge of the part which is pressed against the face 2 of the work support to allow the guide 3 the more easily. to project between the parts of the case or bag.

If the beginning and end of the seam joining the two parts of a case or bag together are to meet or overlap slightly when the seam is completed, as is the case for instance of a circular collar box in which the bottom is sewn to the side wall, it is necessary, as the first stitches made in the work approach closely to the sewing point once more near the end of the sewing of the seam, to withdraw the strip from the strip guide and to withdraw the strip guide 3 from between the parts of the case orbag to facilitate the completion of the seam, the strip being guided after the withdrawal of the guide by the groove l9 ing part of the work has been drawn forwardly away from over the guide, be satisfactory for sewing some kinds of work in which the ends of the seam are to overlap, a more suitable form of guide for use on this kind of work is illustrated in Figure 4. This guide is arranged to occupy a similar position on the work support to that occupied by the strip guide 3 but instead of consisting of a pivoted metal block, the guide shown in Figure 4 consists of a clip-like member 23 formed of resilient metal and detachably held on the work support. The member L23 presents, near its rear end, a shouldered passage 25 in line with the groove I!) to receive and guide the beaded edge of the strip and, in front of the passage, a narrow passage 21 to receive and guide the flange portion of the strip. The rear end portions of the member 23 are flared apart somewhat but their extreme rear ends are turned towards each other to provide ridges on the member which enter into grooves 29 provided in a cut-away portion of the work support. The resilience of the member 23 urges the said ridges into the grooves 29 and thus serves to retain the member in place on the work support in a similar position, considered both heightwise-and lengthwise of the support, to that occupied by the strip guide 3. At the forward end of the narrow passage 21 the member 23 provides a finger grip, it being extended well forwardly for this purpose, and by pressing the upper and lower portions of the member towards each other the operator may release the ridges on the member sufllciently from the grooves 23 to allow him tq withdraw the member forwardly and detach it from the work support, the strip Ill being left substantially in its correct position undisturbed by the withdrawal of the member for the completion of the seam.v The member 23 thereforev provides a readily detachable strip guide which may either be left permanently in operative position on the work support when work 'is being operated on in which the-ends of the .seam are not to overlap or may be ,quickly and easilyi removed to' allow of the overlapping of the ends of the seam when operating on work in which 'this, is desired.

Thestrip guide 3! shown in Figures 5, 6, and 7 is substantially similar to that shown in Figure 4, but is of a somewhat more robust construction. The strip guide 3| has a hooked end 33 g which may be grasped by the operator when it is desired to withdraw the guide from the work support 35 or to place it in position thereon. The guide 3| has a portion 31 which is held in an opening 39 in the work support 35 by a wire sprin ll secured by a screw 43 to a block 45 and engaging a groove 41 extending across the portion 31. The block 65 is secured in a recess 49 in a wall 5| of the work support and the lower face of the block forms the upper face of the 'opening 39. The bottom and side faces of the opening 39 are formed by a comparatively small recess in the wall 5| at the bottom of the recess 49. The strip guide 3! has formed in it a pasisage 53 for guiding the flange of a beaded strip and also has formed in it a rounded recess 55 which, in conjunction with a rounded recess 57 in the Wall 5|, forms a guide for the beaded edge of the strip. The work support 35 is substantial- =ly similar to the work support I, having a groove "59 similar to the groove l9 and a downwardly inclined portion 6| similar to the downwardly inclined portion 2i and for the same purposes. The strip as it'passes through the guide 3|, however, lies parallel to the face 6 in Figure 1. This arrangement of the strip guide 3! enables the strip guiding portion of the guide to lie comparatively close to the inclined portion and in a position such as to allow the lower edge of the part of the case or bag which is held against the, face 59 of the work support to pass over the guide. The strip guide 3| may be readily withdrawn when desired from between the two parts of a case or bag which are being sewn together by merely drawing it forwardly.

The nature and scope of the invention having been indicated, and constructions embodying the several features of the invention having been specifically described, what is claimed is:

l. The combination in a machine for sewing bags or like articles, consisting of sheets of material arranged at an angle with relation to each other and secured together at their edges to form a corner, of means for supporting the sheets at an angle to one another with portions adjacent the corner at an inclination to and intersecting the needle path, and means for guiding a beading strip comprising a bead portion along one edge and an attaching flange portion to the sewing point with the flange portion of the strip between abutting surfaces of the sheets, and with the head portion projecting from the outer surface of the bag whereby said strip is secured in position by the same sewing operationwhich secured the sheets together.

2. The combination in amachine for securing the edges of bags or like articles, consisting of sheets of material arranged at an angle with relation to each other and secured together at their edges to form a corner,.of a work support .provided with surfaces for supporting angularly disposed sheets of material at substantially the angle with relation to each other which they assume in the finished article and with surfaces adjacent their edges abutting as said sheets are fed past the securing means, and means for guiding a beading strip comprisinga bead portion along one edge and an attaching flange portion to the securing means with the flange portion of the strip between the abutting surfaces of the sheets and with the head portion projecting from the outer surface of the article.

3. The combination in a machine for sewing portion of the strip between abutting surfaces of the sheets and with the bead portion projecting from the outer surface of the bag.

4. The combination in a machine for sewing bags or like articles, consisting of sheets of material arranged at an angle with relation to each other and secured together at their edges to form a corner, of means for supporting the v sheets at an angle to one another with portions adjacent the corner at an inclination to and intersecting the needle path, a beading strip guide extending between the sheets adjacent the sewing point for guiding a beading strip comprising a bead portion along one edge and an attaching flange portion to the sewing point with the flange portion of the strip between abutting surfaces of the sheets and with the bead portion projecting from the outer surface of the bag, and means for sup porting the guide permitting its removal from between the sheets prior to a completion of the bag sewing operation to enable the completion of the seam to the point of beginning.

5. The combination in a machine for sewing bags or like articles, consisting of sheets of material arranged at an angle with relation to each other and secured together at their edges to form a corner, of means for supporting the sheets at an angle to one another with portions adjacent the corner at an inclination to and intersecting the needle path, a heading strip guide extending between the sheets adjacent the sewing point for guiding a beading strip comprising a bead portion along one edge and an attaching flangeportion to the sewing point with the flange portion of the strip between abutting surfaces of the sheets and with the bead portion projecting from the outer surface of the bag, said guide being supported and constructed with an opening therefrom to permit its removal from between the sheets prior to a completion of the bag sewing operation transversely of the strip while leaving the strip in its correct position undisturbed by the removal of the guide.

6. The combination in a machine for sewing bags or like articles, consisting of sheets of material arranged at an angle with relation toeach other and secured together at their edges to form a corner, of a work support provided with surfaces for supporting the sheets with portions adjacent the corner at an inclination to and intersecting the needle path, a beading strip guide extending between the sheets for guiding a beading strip comprising a bead portion along one edge and an attaching flange portion to the sewing point with the flange portion of the strip between abutting surfaces of the sheets and with the bead portion, projecting from the outer surface of the bag, means for supporting the guide, and resilient fingers on said guide for engaging the support and holding the guide detachably in place during the passage of the strip therethrough.

7. The combination in a machine for sewing bags or like articles, consisting of sheets of material arranged at an angle with reiation to each other and secured together at their edges to form a corner, of a work support provided with surfaces for supporting the sheets of portions adjacent the corner at an inclination to and intersecting the needle path, a beading strip guide extending between the sheets for guiding a beading strip comprising a head portion along one edge and an attaching flange portion to the sewing point with the flange portion of the strip between abutting surfaces of the sheets and with the bead portion projecting from the outer. surface of the bag, means for supporting the guide,

and yielding means mounted on said support and engaging the guide for releasably retaining said guide in operative position.

8. The combination in a machine for sewing bags or like articles, consisting of sheets of material arranged at an angle with relation to each other and secured together at their edges to form a corner, of a work support provided with surfaces for supporting the sheets at an angle to one another with portions adjacent the corner at an inclination to and intersecting the needle path, a beading strip guide extending between the sheets for guiding a beading strip comprising a bead portion along one edge and an attaching flange portion to the sewing point with the flange portion of the strip betweeen abutting surfaces of the sheets and with the bead portion projecting from the outer surface of the bag, and a groove in the work support adjacent the sewing point to receive the beaded edge of the strip.

9. The combination in a machine for securing the edges of bags or like articles, consisting of sheets of material arranged at an angle with relation to each other and secured together at their edges to form a corner, of a work support provided with surfaces for supporting the sheets of material at an angle to one another with surfaces adjacent their edges abutting as said sheets are fed past the securing means, and means for guiding a beading strip comprising a bead portion along one edge and an attaching flange portion to the securing means with the flange portion of the strip between the abutting surfaces of the sheets and in a plane substantially parallel to one of the surfaces of the work support, a portion of said surface adjacent the strip guiding means sloping away from another portion of said surface adjacent the securing point, so that the sheet supported by said surface may be bent away from the edge of the other sheet to enable the strip guide to project between the sheets as they are fed along the work support.

10. The method of making bags and the like consisting ef sheets of material arranged at substantially a right angle with relation to each other and saured together at their edges to form a corner, which comprises assembling with the sheets a beading strip having a bead portion along one edge and an attaching flange portion, the sheets being assembled while disposed at substantially a right angle with relation to each other, with the flange portion of the strip between abutting surfaces of the sheets at the corner and with the bead portion projecting from 'the outer surface of the bag, and sewing a seam with the stitches passing through the abutting surfaces of the sheets and the attaching flange of the beading strip to secure the sheets and strip permanently together at a single sewing operation.

11. The combination in a machine for sewing bags or like articles, consisting of sheets of material arranged at an angle with relation to each other and secured together at their edges to form a corner, of means for supporting the sheets with portions adjacent the corner at an inclination to and intersecting the needle path, a beading strip guide extending between the sheets adjacent the sewing. point for guiding to the sewing point a beading strip comprising a. bead portion along one edge and an attaching flange portion, the flange portion of the strip being guided between abutting surfaces of the sheets with the bead portion projecting from the outer surface of the bag, said guide comprising a bead guiding portion having an interrupted surface along one edge and a flange guiding portion substantially opposite the interruption in the surface of the bead guiding portion, and means for supporting the guide permitting its removal laterally of the beading strip, the interruption in the surface of the guide being of a size to allow the passage therethrough of the beading strip, whereby the strip may be left intact in correct position for the completion of the sewing operation.

12. The combination in a machine for sewing bags or like articles, consisting of sheets of material arranged at an angle with relation to each other and secured together at their edges to form a corner, of means for supporting the sheets with portions adjacent the corner at an inclination to and intersecting the needle path, a beading strip guide extending between the sheets adjacent the sewing point for guiding to the sewing point a beading strip comprising a bead portion along, one edge and an attaching flange portion, theflange portion ofthe strip being directed between abutting surfaces of the sheets with the bead portion projecting from the outer surface of the bag, said guide having an interrupted guiding surface, means for supporting the guide, and fixed guiding surfaces adjacent the interruption in the guide, said supporting means having provision for withdrawal of the guide from the flange side of the beading strip in a direction away from the fixed guiding surfaces.

FRED RICKS.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 2,170,091 Au ust 22',- 19 9.

FRED RICKS.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above nmnbered patent requiring correction ee follows; Page 3, first column; line 27, before the word- "face" insert inclined portion 61 instead of lying parallei to the; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this'correotion therein that the eaine may conform to the record of the case inthe Patent Office. 7

Signed and sealeq this 31st day of October, A. D. 1959.

Henry Van Arsdale, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents 

